Amateur-built KITFOX IV accident near Camden, North Carolina, May 17, 2009
On May 17, 2009 at about 2:20 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX IV, registered N92RG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Camden, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to an in-flight separation of the engine muffler exhaust pipe and resulting impingement of hot exhaust gases on the carburetor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2009 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Camden, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX IV
- Registration
- N92RG · registry record · serial 1638
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the pilot noted an unusual amount of heat on his left leg, followed by engine surges. Despite attempts to adjust the throttle, the engine continued to lose power, and a forced landing was attempted on a dirt road. During the landing, the right wing struck trees and the airplane spun around to the right before coming to a stop. The pilot sustained broken ribs during the forced landing. An examination of the wreckage revealed the 90-degree exhaust pipe from the engine muffler separated in flight. The separation occurred at the weld joint on the muffler body. One of the air filter housings was heat-deformed. With the exhaust pipe missing, hot gases were allowed to impinge upon the carburetor and air filters. The missing exhaust pipe was not recovered.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 280 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 8, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 79 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 16, 2008; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier Rotax 583UL DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDE Edenton NC at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FFA Kill Devil Hill NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:38 pm from ECG, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA09LA293.